Hypericum japonicum
Hypericum japonicum, commonly known as Japanese St. John's Wort, is a perennial herb belonging to the Hypericaceae family. Characterized by its delicate yellow flowers and serrated leaves, this plant is valued in traditional medicine for its bioactive compounds, which possess potential anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and healing properties for skin ailments.
- Scientific name: Hypericum japonicum
- Family: Hypericaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Malpighiales, it is classified under the family Hypericaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Hypericum.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Hypericaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Hypericum | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Hypericum japonicum, is known by various common names depending on the linguistic and regional context. In Chinese, it is frequently referred to as 地耳草 (zh, zh-tw, zh-cn, zh-hans), a name that reflects its traditional usage and botanical characteristics. Additionally, in certain contexts within Taiwan, it is also recognized by the name 小還魂 (zh-tw).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 地耳草 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 地耳草 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 地耳草 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 地耳草 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 小還魂 | Wikidata |
| zh | 小蚁药 | Wikidata |
| zh | 小付心草 | Wikidata |
| zh | 上天梯 | Wikidata |
| zh | 小还魂 | Wikidata |
| zh | 和虾草 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical range across several distinct regions of East Asia. In the Russian Far East, its presence is noted within the Kuril Islands and the Primorye region. Its distribution extends significantly into China, where it can be found throughout Manchuria. Furthermore, the species inhabits the South-Central areas of China. Finally, its range reaches as far south as the island of Hainan.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Russian Far East | Kuril Is. | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Primorye | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | Manchuria | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Korea | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Hypericum japonicum, is a medicinal species where various components can be utilized for therapeutic purposes. While the whole plant can be harvested to capture its full range of bioactive compounds, practitioners often focus specifically on the aerial parts to extract essential oils and flavonoids. The aerial part typically includes the leaves and flowers, which are frequently used in infusions, while the roots may also be employed in traditional formulations to provide distinct medicinal properties.- Total parts
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| whole plant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial part | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Hypericum japonicum has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include flavonoids, 1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxy-4-prenylxanthone, 1,5,6-trihydroxyxanthone, 1,5-dihydroxyxanthone-6-O-beta-D-glucoside, 6-deoxyisojacareubin.
- Total chemicals
- 10
- Scientific sources
- 11
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| flavonoids | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxy-4-prenylxanthone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1,5,6-trihydroxyxanthone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1,5-dihydroxyxanthone-6-O-beta-D-glucoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 6-deoxyisojacareubin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Compound 1 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Compound 2 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Compound 4 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bijaponicaxanthone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| isojacereubin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Hypericum japonicum has 7 reported activities identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Anthelmintic, Antibacterial, Antiproliferative.
- Total activities
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anthelmintic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Hypericum japonicum has 7 reported medicinal uses identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antioxidant, antiviral, chronic hepatitis, gastrointestinal disorder, infectious hepatitis.
- Total uses
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chronic hepatitis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gastrointestinal disorder | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| infectious hepatitis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| influenza | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| liver cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |